Upright piano



(No Model.)

F. G. SMITH.

UPRIGHT PIANO. No. 323,747. Patented Aug. 4, 1885.

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N. PETERS Pholn-Lilhognphnr. Washington. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREEBORN G. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

UPRIGH T PIANO.

EPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,747, dated August 4, 1885.

Application filed June 2, 18555 T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREEBORN G. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the State of New York, and having my principal place of business at No. 95 Fifth avenue, New York city, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Upright Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to upright pianos provided with music-desks; and it consists in an improved music-desk of the kind which are so combined with a central panel of the front of the pianocase that when they are adjusted for use the front of the case is opened so as to permit the sound to escape freely.

The special object of the present invention is to support the combined music-desk and panel for use in a lowered position and at a convenient angle, and at the same time wholly out of contact with the wood-work of the piano-case, so as to avoid jarring or the pro duction of discordant or false sound vibrations, and also to prevent marring the highlypolished wood-work.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of an upright piano provided with my improved music-desk, showing the latter lowered for use. Fig. 2 represents a vertical section through the opened piaiiocase, showing the lowered music-desk on alarger scale. Fig. 3 is a partial front View of the upper part of the piano-case, showing the musicdesk in its elevated position or closed. Fig. 4 represents a vertical section on the line 4 4, Fig. 3; and Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional detail views, illustrating the manner of pivoting the links by which the music-desk is supported in its lowered position.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

I11 carrying this invention into effect I render movable a central fret-work panel, P, in

(No model.)

zontally along its lower edge; and I connect the movable panel with the front of the pianocase by two pairs of links, a b, and pivotal screws 0 d, the latter provided with sound deadeners in the form of washers w, of leather or felt, on said pivotal screws in contact with the respective links, as shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6. Said links a b are of two lengths, the longer pair a being attached only a little below mid-height of the movable panel, and the shorter pair b near its upper edge. The inner ends of the respective pairs of links are so located within the opening 0 in the front of the piano-case that the lower links, a, are substantially horizontal when the movable panel is fully lowered, and the upper links, I), are depending to as great an eX- tent as the relations of the parts will permit. At the same time said upper links hang out from the front of the case, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the gravitation of the desk tending to resist further movement of the upper links by the panel turning upon the pivots of the lower links. Thus the lowered desk hangs clear of the front of the piano-case above, with its lower edge above the inverted keyboard cover 0, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so that there is no contact with either. The screws 0 d are preferably countersunk and roundheaded, respectively, the former, which are shown at 0, being located at the outer ends of the links, so as to obviate a wide space around the elevated panel. The pair of screws, d, at the inner ends of the upper links may advantageously be provided with milled heads or their equivalent, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, so as to provide for tightening them by hand should the screws work loose. All the screws are inserted through the links into the end walls of said opening 0 in the piano-case parallel with the front of the wood work or into the ends of the movable panel behind the projecting margin of its said rabbeted edge e, and by locating the proposed screws with milled heads at the inner ends of the upper links, I), as aforesaid, they can be readily reached when the desk is lowered. The edge e of the movable panel is also provided with small disks or pads 12 of felt, to prevent wood striking Wood when the musicdesk is elevated or closed, as shown in Figs.

3 and 4:, and these are so located that should the upper edge of the desk be accidentally pressed inward while it is lowered, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pads will be effective to prevent jarring. In this the effective position of the musicdesk illustrated byFigs. 1 and 2, the front of the piano-case is opened and a convenient low flat-backed support is afforded for sheet music standing on said music-rest 0'.

To lower or elevate the desk it is only necessary to shift it by a single movement from one position to the other.

The music-rest 9' forms a convenient handheld in effecting such movements of the desk; and if the key-board cover G be provided with the customary music-restm, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, the sheet-music may be stood upon this, and the rest 1' of the elevated desk will effectively support the same behind at mid-height; but ordinarily the music-rest in will be omitted as unnecessary.

Having thus described my said improvelnent in upright pianos, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification- 1. In an upright piano, an improved musicdesk, composed of a movable panel fitted to two pairs of links, the lower pair longer than the upper, attached to the ends of said movable panel and the end walls of said opening by pivotal screws for supporting the musicdesk in effective position out of contact with the wood-work of the piano case, substantially as herein specified.

2. The combination, substantially as herein specified, of a movable panel having a rabbeted edge, an opening to which said panel is fitted, and two pairs of links, the lower pair longer than the upper, attached by pivotal screws at their respective ends to the ends of said panel behind the projecting margin of its edge and to the end walls of said opening, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, substantially as herein specified, of a movable panel provided with a music-rest and having a rabbeted edge, an opening to which. said panel is fitted, links at tached by pivotal screws at their respective ends to the ends of said panel behind the projecting margin of its edge and to the end walls V of said opening, and washers of leather or felt 011 said screws, for the purpose set forth.

F. G. SMITH.

. \Vitnesses:

J on T. FINN. FRANK \VALsir. 

